Arsenal: 3 new tactical wrinkles Mikel Arteta has introduced

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BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – JUNE 20: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal shoots during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal FC at American Express Community Stadium on June 20, 2020 in Brighton, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) /

1. Using Bukayo Saka as a wide-left central midfielder

The most prominent change from what Arteta has predominantly used as Arsenal head coach thus far was the left-sided central midfield role. Where Xhaka would drop deep and slide to the left side, acting as a pseudo-left-back, Bukayo Saka played almost like a winger at times.

When in possession, Arteta still wanted Arsenal to form a 2-3-5 shape. But he used different players to fill each position. On Saturday, this shape comprised of the two centre-backs, the left-back, one central midfielder, and the right-back sitting in front of them, and then the left-sided central midfielder, left-winger, centre-forward, right-sided central midfielder and right-winger forming the front five from left to right.

This meant Saka regularly slid to the left side. He flourished in these spaces. Both his shot that smashed the crossbar and Alexandre Lacazette’s stooped header stemmed from moves that came from Saka drifting to the left flank, while Arsenal frequently looked to progress play down the left flank, with Saka and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang linking up especially well.

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Saka is a natural winger so amending his central midfield role in this way makes sense. It puts him in positions of the pitch and moments in the match that he relishes. And so it proved as he produced a Man of the Match display.

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